Pint of Science - Experience of a Lab Rat

Posted on: 2 July 2025 by Dr. Sibel Cal Kayitmazbatir in Blog posts

Dr Sibel Cal Kayitmazbatir is a senior postdoc at the University of Liverpool with extensive wet lab experience from her studies in Turkey and postdoctoral work in the U.S., focusing on circadian rhythms. Here, she shares her perspective on her first public engagement experience in Pint of Science 2025.

Earlier in my career, I believed that the only things that truly mattered in science were doing more experiments, collecting more data, and publishing more papers. How naive of me—I know. But I don’t want to blame myself entirely for that mindset. During my Ph.D. in Turkey and a three-year postdoc in the U.S., that’s what I saw and what I did. That was the culture I was immersed in. 

Things started to change when I began my postdoc at the University of Liverpool in 2024. I began receiving emails about public engagement activities. Having given talks and seminars on biological clocks before, I thought I might enjoy this kind of outreach. I reached out to the brilliant Public Engagement (PE) Team in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (HLS). I was awarded a small grant to organize workshops for local shift workers, which will take place next year. I was also accepted to speak in the Shots of Science segment of the Pint of Science festival. 

When it’s your first time applying, you really don’t know what to expect if you get accepted. I certainly didn’t. After I received the acceptance, the lovely PE team contacted us to encourage participation in a “Presentation Skills Masterclass” led by Dr. Steve Cross. At first, committing an entire day to a presentation workshop felt like a big ask. But going through it made a real difference. I learned how to make my delivery more engaging, fun, and professional. 

To be honest, I also realized that 99% of scientific conference presentations are—well—pretty boring and lack real engagement. It was genuinely challenging for me to avoid scientific jargon, make the topic relatable, and inject humour into my talk. After the workshop, the PE team also organized a run-through meeting to help us (and them!) feel more confident before the big night. 

On the day of the event, I arrived at the Bridewell Pub—and it was packed! It was a completely new experience for me to talk about my research to a general audience. I’ve given plenty of presentations before, but they were all to fellow scientists. To make it more memorable, I wore an apron featuring organs with wristwatches—yes, organs wearing watches! I tried my best to make the topic fun and accessible, and in the end, I realized that I was having just as much fun as the audience. 

Although I didn’t win the Best Shots of Science prize, I was truly heartened by the warm and enthusiastic response from the audience—and that means a great deal to me. This experience taught me that communicating basic science in a way that is both understandable and engaging for the public isn’t easy, but it is absolutely possible with the right guidance and environment. I’m more motivated than ever to continue participating in public engagement activities. If you’ve read this far, chances are you have some interest in public engagement too—and I encourage you to take part in at least one activity. It’s a rewarding experience that’s well worth the effort. 

Further Reading

Faculty of HLS Public Engagement Opportunities and Support: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/health-and-life-sciences/engage-with-us/public-engagement/opportunities-and-support/